Container



Dec. 1, 1953 G. LEONARD 2,661,138

CONTAINER Filed March 16, 1949 5 Sheec-Sheet l I 3 I um Zmnentor Garden Lea/70rd Gttomegs G. LEONARD Dec. 1, 1953 CONTAINER s SheetS-Sheet 2 Filed March 16, 1949 Md W 0 6 Z 0 a d w G (Ittornegs Dec. 1, 1953 Filed March l6,'l949 G. LEONARD 2,661,138

CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Iimaentor Gordon Leo/70rd MWYM attorneys Patented Dec. 1, 1 953 UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Gordon Leonard, Kansas City, Mo.

Application March 16, 1949, Serial No. 81,737

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a container adapted to be formed of paper or similar material and, used in packaging milk or other liquid products.

Containers of this character are usually sealed after filling and have pour openings normally covered by a tear flap which is torn loose by starting the tear with the finger nail or other instrument when the contents are to be dispensed. Starting of the tear is often difficult because the adhesive required in forming a sanitary seal about the opening seals the tear flap and it is difficult to raise the flap. This difficulty has been overcome in part by providing the material from which the tear flap is formed with a cut-out portion, but these cut-out portions are difficult to handle when manufacturing the blanks from which the containers are formed.

Another difiiculty is that the adhesive spreads over the partial out which defines the pour opening and when the flap is torn loose the. edges of the pour opening present irregular and. uneven surfaces that make clean pouring difiicult.

It is, therefore, the principal purpose of the present invention to provide a container of this character having a pour opening covered with a tear flap that is secured by an adhesive. which completely surrounds the pour opening without interference with removal of the inner closure and in which the tear flap has a free and unattached edge that is readily engaged and pried up by the finger nail. or other instrument into a position tobe gripped between the thumb and finger in completing the tear.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container having the side wall or walls and top formed of a single sheet of material of a shape to provide a relatively wide vertical seam and overlapping portions which contain the pour opening and the tear flap respectively.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container having a relatively narrow vertical sea-m at the base and which widens at thetop to provide the overlapping portions extending substantially across the entire top of the container, thereby providing a closure fold having uniform thickness across the entire length of the seal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a container having the above features which may be formed of a minimum of material.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive pre-formed container which may be made available for practicable use by small dairies and other liquid packaging concerns.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention hereinafter pointed out, improved structure is provided, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of container constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the top thereof in folded and sealed condition to contain a liquid such as milk.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container showing the top thereof open and prior to sealing thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective phantom view of the sealed container to illustrate the sealing portions and areasof application of the adhesive, the tear flap being torn back to expose the pour opening.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another form of container constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a phantom view of the container illustrated in Fig. 4 and particularly showing the location of the adhesive areas.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the container showing the closure disk and tear flap opened to expose the pour opening.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the bottom of the container on the line 11 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8' is a plan view of two adjacent blanks as stamped from a web of material to form the container illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

Fig. 9' is a similar view of blanks forming the container illustrated. in Figs. 4 to '7, inclusive.

Referring more in detail to the drawings and first to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive:

l designates one form of container constructed in accordance with the present invention and which is especially adapted for packaging milk or other liquid from which the contents may be drunk directly therefrom. The body 2 of the container is. rolled from a blank 3- that is adapted to be stamped from a web of material 4 such as paper or the like. The blank 3 when out from the web has an arcuate edge 5 of a length to provide the desired circumference at the base of the container and an overlap portion 6. The side edges 1 and 8 of the blank extend substantially radially with respect to the center of curvature of the arcuate edge 5 so that the container. formed from the blank tapers upwardly and outwardly to permit nesting of the containers prior to use.

The edges 1 and 8 terminate substantially mid way of the height of the blank in edge portions 9 and I0 diverging at a greater angle than the edge portions 1 and B to provide wings H and I l' at the upper portion of the blank, the side edges 12 and I3 of which are preferably formed on radii conforming to the center of curvature of the edge 5. The midportion of the blank has a relatively straight edge M which extends parallel with a tangent of the arcuate edge 5 and which is of sufiicient length to provide one side of the top of the container as defined by lines of score l5 and i6 extending inwardly of the blank and terminating in oppositely directed scores or lines of fold I! and I8 located in registry with the points of juncture l9 and 29 of the side edges I2 and I3 with the diverging edge portions 9 and If! as shown in Fig. 8.

The edges of the blank at the ends of the edge portion l4 are shaped to provide slight peaks 2! and 22 and have a length substantially conforming to the length of the edge 14. Extending inwardly from each peak point 2| and 22 are radial scores 23 terminating in lateral scores 24-25 and diverging scores 262'l substantially terminating at the ends of the scores or lines of fold H and I8. The end edge portions of the blank are offset outwardly as at 28 and 29 to provide fold flaps 36 and 3| substantially conforming to the length of the edge 14 for a purpose later described. The outer edges of the fold flaps 30 and 3| extend substantially parallel with tangents of the arcuate edge 5 and join with the edge portions [2 and I3 of the wings I9 and II.

The inner portion of the fold flaps are defined by scores 32 and 33. Inset from the scores 32 and 33 and from the edge [4 are similar scores 34, 35 and 36 which register with ends of the scores 24 and 25 to provide sealing flaps 31, 38, and 39 which cooperate with sealing flaps 4i)-4l and 42-43 on the respective sides of the scores 23. Radial scores 44 and 45 are also provided in registry with the offsets 28 and 29 to cooperate with the scores [5 and H5 in forming the corners of the top of the container.

The ends 46 and 4! of the blank intermediate the edges l2 and i3 and the adjacent scores 44 and 45 are adapted to overlap and form a double thickness for one side of the carton top. The underlying portion 41 is provided with a transverse slot 48 to provide a pour opening, the ends of which terminate short of the fold line 45 and edge 13, respectively. The opposite or outer portion 46 has substantially parallel lines of perforations 49 and 49' extending inwardly from the edge l2 toward the score 44 to provide a tear flap portion 56 in overlying relation with the slot 48 when the blank is rolled to form the container.

The blanks thus described are stamped from the web 4 in reverse relation as illustrated in Fig. 8 so as to conserve the material and eliminate any cut-out portions intermediate the blanks that might interfere with operation of the dies.

The overlap forming the seam at the tear flap end of the blank is provided with a stripe of adhesive 5| terminating at the end of the edge 1 and which diverges into sealing stripes 52 and 53 that are joined by a transverse sealing stripe 54, the stripe 54 being spaced from the inner line of perforation 49 to provide a relatively narrow ungummed area 55 therebetween. The adhesive stripe 53 continues along the fold line 44 as indicated at 56 to join with a transverse stripe 51 spaced from the line of perforation 49' to provide a relatively narrow unsealed area 58 corresponding to the area 55. The gum stripe 56 also continues along the offset 28 and joins with a stripe 59 that extends along the edge of the fold flaps 30.

The transverse adhesive stripes 54, 51 and 59 extend to the edge I2 and the stripes 59 and 51 are interconnected along the edge I2 by a stripe of adhesive 60. Inset inwardly from the edge 12 and connecting the gum stripes 54 and 51 is a narrow gum stripe 6| that is also slightly offset from the outer end of the slot 48 when the blank is rolled to form the container.

In forming the container, the blank is rolled into a substantially truncated cone form to bring the sealing stripes into contact with the opposite face of the other end of the blank to pro- "vide a leak-tight closure therefor.

Attention is directed to the fact that due to the inset of the sealing stripe 6|, an unsealed area isprovided to permit engagement of the edge portion l2 intermediate the lines of perforation by the finger nail or other instrument to lift the tear flap and effect tearing thereof along the lines of perforations when the pour slot is to be exposed. When the blank is rolled and sealed, the blank breaks on the lines of fold or scores 44, l5, l6 and 45 to provide a rectangular-shaped fill mouth 62 as shown in Fig. 2.

The bottom of the rolled blank is closed by a disk-like insert 63 that is inserted through the mouth 62 and which has a depending annular flange 64 that engages the inner face of the base of the container above an arcuate stripe of adhesive 65 applied along the arcuate edge 5 and which is adapted to seal therewith when the arcuate edge 5 is turned retractively along the inner face of the flange to form the base edge 66 of the container. The container may then be dipped, sprayed or otherwise coated with paraffin, plastic or other sealing material to close the perforations and further render the container leak-tight.

The containers thus described may be nested and packaged in nested condition for storage and shipment on order to the small dairyman or other packager of liquid products.

The container as illustrated in Fig. 2 may be filled by conventional filling machines and after filling the top is closed by breaking the sides inwardly on the scores or lines of fold 24, 25, 26, 21 and 23. Simultaneously with breaking of the sides on the fold lines, the front and back sides are drawn inwardly with the triangular portions intermediate the lines of fold 16-26, 21-45, l5-25 and 2444 and bend on the lines of fold i5, 44, I6 and 45 to lie against the inner faces of the front and back portions while the sealing flap portions 40-4l and 42-43 are engaged between the sealing flap portions 31, 38 and 39 with the folds formed by the scores 34, 35 and 36 in abutting relation substantially midway the length of the outer seal flap. The projecting portion formed by the sealing flaps 39 and 3| (Fig. 2) isthen turned inwardly over the seal flap 38, after which the folded seal flaps are sealed by applying heat along the fold and fusing the coating to form a leak-tight closure.

In operating the container the finger nail may be engaged under the free edge l2 intermediate the lines of perforations 4949' so as to raise the undersealed portion sufiiciently to be gripped between the thumb and finger, after which the tear flap 59 is drawn retractively and torn along the lines of perforation to expose the pour slot. The contents may then be drunk directly from the container or the contents poured through the slot 48. When thus opened, the unsealed area around the pour slot provides clean sanitary edges free of adhesive or torn surfaces.

The form of invention Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive 7 lap along the entire length thereof and said adhesive securing the overlap to the underlap along the entire edge thereof with the exception of the space between said lines of perforations to provide a finger engaging portion at said edge face of the overlapped end, said adhesive including a relatively narrow stripe portion intermediate said finger engaging portion and the pour opening to complete a seal completely surrounding the pour opening while leaving said edge face at the finger engaging portion free, and said adhesive securing the portion of the sheet like blank within said out to the tear flap for removal of said portion upon pulling open of the tear flap.

GORDON LEONARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS an," N 

